Pakistani military forces claim to have killed six militants in Zhob, a Pashtun-dominated area of Balochistan, on Thursday.
In a statement, Pakistan Army’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that Pakistani security forces thwarted a cross-border infiltration attempt from Afghanistan, killing six militants in the Sambaza area of Zhob district on the night of January 22-23.
The ISPR statement detailed that security forces detected a group of militants attempting to cross the border from Afghanistan. A swift response led to the killing of six militants, with a significant amount of weapons, ammunition, and explosives also recovered.
The ISPR reiterated Pakistan’s call to the interim Afghan government for effective border management. It expressed hope that the Afghan government would fulfil its responsibilities and prevent the use of Afghan territory for terrorist activities against Pakistan.
It should be noted that Pakistan continues to accuse Afghanistan of supporting attacks within its borders—allegations that the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has rejected, calling for solid evidence. Notably, Afghanistan’s Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob recently accused Pakistan of supporting the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) and running training camps in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
It is important to note that the Pakistani armed forces’ operations in Balochistan have been regarded with suspicion. In the past, media and other sources have proven that encounters involving Pakistani law enforcement agencies were staged. Most of those killed in these operations were later identified as missing persons from the Baloch community, and there is also evidence that some of the individuals killed were detainees from religious groups.